Pakistan: Restoration of Democracy

Lord Shore of Stepney: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What representations they have made to the Government of Pakistan about the imprisonment of the former Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif; and what progress Commonwealth Ministers have made in agreeing with the present authorities in Pakistan a timetable for the restoration of democracy.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: While we believe the trial of Nawaz Sharif to have been transparent and fair, we continue to have serious concerns about the judicial climate in which it was held. We have raised with the Pakistani authorities our concerns about the condition in which some detained politicians are held and the fact that some have still yet to be charged.
	Ministers of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG), including my right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary, met the Pakistani Foreign Minister in New York on 15 September. They reiterated their call, first made in the aftermath of the coup, for the restoration of democracy and for a clear and credible timetable for achieving this. Regrettably, the Pakistani Foreign Minister was unable to provide satisfactory assurances on these issues. In the continued absence of such a timetable, CMAG will need to consider at its next meeting all options, including the possibility of further measures to be taken against Pakistan.

GCHQ: Recruitment

Lord Acton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will publish the recruitment statistics for GCHQ in 1999; and how they compare with the figures for 1998.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: GCHQ notified the Civil Service Commissioners that, as a result of recruitment schemes run in 1999, 241 individuals have joined the department or are awaiting completion of the application process. This compares with 187 reported for 1998 recruitment schemes. In addition, nine former members of staff were reappointed in 1999, compared with eight in 1998.

Secure Establishments for Juveniles

Baroness David: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Which local authority secure units have been commissioned by the Youth Justice Board since 1 April; and how many beds are available in each.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: Secure establishments for juveniles are provided by the Prison Service, local authorities and the private sector under contract to the Youth Justice Board of England and Wales. The board pays for places according to costs agreed in a contract or service level agreement each year or over a longer period, which also sets out the standards of accommodation and the regime to be provided.
	Since 1 April 2000, the board has commissioned 270 places from 24 local authority secure units on a block purchase basis. The units and the number of beds available in each are listed in the table.
	
		
			 Unit Number of Beds Purchased 
			 Aldine House 6 
			 Atkinson Unit 11 
			 Aycliffe 30 
			 Barton Moss 16 
			 Brunel 5 
			 Clare Lodge 8 
			 Clayfields 15 
			 Dales House 6 
			 Dyson House 9 
			 East Moor 32 
			 Hillside 14 
			 Kesteven 4 
			 Kyloe House 3 
			 Leverton Hall 2 
			 Orchard House 4 
			 Orchard Lodge 16 
			 Redbank 28 
			 Redsands 4 
			 St John's Tiffield 12 
			 Stoke House 8 
			 Sutton Place 7 
			 Swanwick Lodge 5 
			 Thornbury House 7 
			 Vinney Green 18 
			  
			 Total 270

Convicted Sex Offenders under 18

Baroness David: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What treatment programmes are available for convicted sex offenders aged under 18 in:
	(a) local authority secure accommodation; and
	(b) young offender institutions.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: A Youth Justice Board survey conducted in 1999 showed that 17 out of 30 local authority secure units run programmes for convicted sex offenders under 18. There are currently no formal programmes for sex offenders in young offender institutions.
	The board recognises the need to improve the provision of these programmes for young offenders and will be discussing the development of more specialist programmes with providers of secure accommodation as part of its negotiations for the next contracting year.

Young People in Custody: Literacy and Numeracy Classes

Baroness David: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they intend to extend literacy and numeracy classes to children and young people in secure training centre and young offenders institutions.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: Following admission to a secure training centre, each child or young person is currently assessed and set an individual training plan which includes a minimum of 25 hours a week of education based on the national curriculum, one hour a day on tackling offending behaviour and avoiding further involvement in crime and regular practical tuition in social skills and domestic training.
	Basic and key skills training is already a priority for those in young offender institutions. The Prison Service has a target to reduce by 15 per cent the proportion of prisoners discharged at the end of their sentences with basic skills in literacy and numeracy at or below level 1. All Prison Service establishments, including young offender institutions, have been given individual key performance targets showing how many level 2 accreditations they must achieve. In addition to programmes of class teaching and private study, the Prison Service is developing innovative projects to support basic skills needs through catering, physical education and prison workshops.
	We are currently looking at ways of improving the quality of education and providing more focused literacy and numeracy programmes for young people in custody.

Young People in Custody: Special Educational Needs

Baroness David: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What educational provision is available to children and young people in secure training centres and young offender institutions and who have statements of special educational needs.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: Following admission to a secure training centre, each child or young person is assessed and set an individual training plan, which includes a minimum of 25 hours a week of education based on the national curriculum. As part of the assessment process, each one is assessed for any special educational needs and, where appropriate, the contractor who is responsible for operating the centre will engage any specialist staff and resources required for that person.
	The educational needs of young people aged under 17 in young offender institutions are formally assessed and any learning difficulties or special educational needs taken into account. This assessment then forms the basis of an individual action plan. In addition, education contractors are required to have a named special needs adviser to advise on educational requirements.
	For any prisoner aged 17 or over who has special educational needs, the Young Offender Institution Rules 1998 require educational arrangements appropriate to his or her needs to be made.

Proof of Age Proposals

Lord Mason of Barnsley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What progress, if any, they are making with the introduction of a nationwide proof of age card designed to help curb under age drinking and the illegal purchase of tobacco and alcohol; and
	Whether any pilot schemes are planned to assess the effectiveness of a proof of age card designed to curb under-age drinking and smoking; and, if so, where.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: We have no plans to introduce a national proof of age card and so no plans to pilot one. But we are looking at the possibility of incorporating a proof of age function in the proposed Connexions card; and we support the use of industry-based credible proof of age cards such as the Portman Card and Citizen Card, which are already widely available across the country.

Winter Fuel Payment

Baroness Greengross: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How much revenue would be raised if the winter fuel payment were taxed; and whether they will estimate how much more that payment would be if the money so raised were added to the current £150 winter fuel payment paid to non-taxpaying people aged over 60.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: Taxing the winter fuel payment of £200 would raise an estimated £150 million in tax revenue in 2000-01, increasing the tax burden of over 5 million people over the age of 60 and bringing a further 100,000 people into tax. This equates to around £20 for each non-taxpaying individual over 60 years of age.

Capital Gains Tax

Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	(a) what amount was raised from capital gains tax; (b) what was the number of payers of capital gains tax; and (c) what was the estimated cost of collection, in the latest year for which figures are available.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The latest available information on capital gains tax receipts and costs of collection, to be released shortly in IR Statistics 2000 and the Annual Report of the Board of Inland Revenue, is given in the table.
	
		Capital Gains Tax
		
			
			  Net Receipts (1) Cost of Collection (2) 
			 Year £ million £ million 
			 1999-00 2,122 31.5 
		
	
	1. Excludes tax on gains of companies, which are charged to corporation tax.
	2. Relates mainly to the costs arising from gains to individuals and trustees but some other costs (mainly of land valuations for companies) cannot be separately identified and are included in the collection costs of capital gains tax.
	It is estimated that 154 thousand taxpayers had a capital gains tax liability for 1998-99, the latest year for which information is available. Capital gains tax liabilities are normally due for payment in the year following the tax year for which the liability arises.

Retail Prices Index Excluding Mortgage Interest Payments

Lord Jacobs: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What would be the retail prices index excluding mortgage interest payments (RPIX) in September 2000 if the depreciation of owner-occupied houses, which has been a component of the index since 1995, had never been introduced; and how this compares with the RPIX for that month; and
	Whether they will give an approximate calculation of the theoretical RPIX for September 2000 on the following basis: (a) that the depreciation component for owner-occupied houses was introduced in 1950, (b) that the rate of inflation since 1950 has been 2,000 per cent, and (c) that the increase in house prices since 1950 has been 4,750 per cent; and how this figure compares with the actual RPIX for September 2000.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from the National Statistician, Len Cook, dated 15 November 2000.
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent questions on the Retail Price Index (RPI). Your first question asks what would be the RPI excluding mortgage payments (RPIX) in September 2000 if the depreciation of owner occupied houses, which has been a component of the index since 1995, had never been introduced; and how this compares with the RPIX for that month (HL4530). Your second question asks for an approximate calculation of the theoretical RPIX for September 2000 on the following basis: (a) that the depreciation component for owner occupied houses was introduced in 1950, (b) that the rate of inflation since 1950 has been 2000 per cent, and (c) that the increase in house prices since 1950 has been 4,750 per cent; and how this figure compares with the actual RPIX for September 2000 (HL4531).
	In response to your first question, the Retail Price Index excluding both mortgage interest payments and depreciation stood at 167.4 in September 2000 compared to 168.9 for RPIX. The annual rate of change of the Retail Price Index excluding both mortgage interest payments and depreciation was 1.8 per cent compared to 2.2 per cent for RPIX in the same period.
	These figures are published each month in table 2 of the Consumer Price Indices First Release and on the National Statistics website www.statistics.gov.uk.
	In response to your second question, I am unable to provide an estimate both for reasons of disproportionate cost and because it would not be accurate enough to be of publishable quality. The Retail Prices Index is chainlinked annually and to calculate even an approximate estimate of a hypothetical RPI for September 2000 would require weightings for the depreciation component for each year as well as reworking all the other RPI component weights for each year. In addition it would be necessary to remove the "rental equivalent" of owner occupied housing that was included in the RPI between 1956 and 1974 to avoid double counting of housing costs (the rental equivalent includes an element of depreciation).
	You might like to note that had the depreciation component been included in the RPI since 1950 the latest annual inflation rate would be unaffected as this only depends on price changes in the last year. The annual rate of change of RPIX for September 2000, had depreciation been included from 1950, would therefore be identical to the current published figure, 2.2 per cent, apart from rounding differences.

Personal Incomes: Top Rate of Direct Tax

Lord Marlesford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will publish in the Official Report a corrected reply to the Question answered by Lord McIntosh of Haringey on 23 October (WA30-32) showing the top rate of direct tax on personal incomes in the United Kingdom for each year from 1970-71 to 1999-2000.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: I very much regret that one table in my earlier answer was incorrect. The table should have read as follows.
	
		
			  Single, non-aged personal allowance for a man with no children Taxable income above which the highest rate is charged Highest rate of income tax charged Retail Price Index Single, non-aged personal allowance for a man with no children at 1999-2000 prices Taxable income above which the hightest rate is charged at 1999-2000 prices 
			  £ £ %  £ £ 
			 1970-71 325 20,000 50 18.92 2,857 175,846 
			 1971-72 325 20,000 50 20.67 2,616 160,958 
			 1972-73 460 20,000 55 22.13 3,458 150,339 
			 1973-74 595 20,000 90 24.45 4,048 136,074 
			 1974-75 625 20,000 98 28.82 3,608 115,441 
			 1975-76 675 20,000 98 35.91 3,127 92,648 
			 1976-77 735 20,000 98 41.40 2,953 80,362 
			 1977-78 945 21,000 98 47.19 3,331 74,027 
			 1978-79 985 24,000 98 51.11 3,206 78,114 
			 1979-80 1,165 25,000 75 59.19 3,274 70,261 
			 1980-81 1,375 27,750 75 68.85 3,322 67,047 
			 1981-82 1,375 27,750 75 76.77 2,979 60,130 
			 1982-83 1,565 31,500 75 82.20 3,167 63,747 
			 1983-84 1,785 36,000 75 86.03 3,452 69,611 
			 1984-85 2,005 38,100 60 90.37 3,691 70,133 
			 1985-86 2,205 40,200 60 95.71 3,832 69,870 
			 1986-87 2,335 41,200 60 98.78 3,932 69,383 
			 1987-88 2,425 41,200 60 102.72 3,927 66,721 
			 1988-89 2,605 19,300 40 108.88 3,980 29,487 
			 1989-90 2,785 20,700 40 117.38 3,947 29,336 
			 1990-91 3,005 20,700 40 128.74 3,883 26,747 
			 1991-92 3,295 23,700 40 134.85 4,065 29,236 
			 1992-93 3,445 23,700 40 139.11 4,120 28,341 
			 1993-94 3,445 23,700 40 141.48 4,051 27,866 
			 1994-95 3,445 23,700 40 145.35 3,943 27,124 
			 1995-96 3,525 24,300 40 150.08 3,907 26,934 
			 1996-97 3,765 25,500 40 153.73 4,074 27,593 
			 1997-98 4,045 26,100 40 158.81 4,237 27,339 
			 1998-99 4,195 27,100 40 163.76 4,261 27,529 
			 1999-2000 4,335 28,000 40 166.35 4,335 28,000 
		
	
	For 1970-71 to 1972-73 the highest rate of income tax is the highest rate of surtax.
	For 1973-74 to 1983-84, the highest rate charged includes investment income surcharge at 15 per cent but this total rate would only apply if the taxpayer's income included investment income greater than the threshold for the highest rate of surcharge which varied between £2,000 in 1973-74 and £7,100 in 1983-84.

Church Buildings: VAT

Lord Tebbit: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether it is within the power of Parliament to reduce or zero rate VAT on repairs to church buildings without the consent of the European Union.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: No. The Paymaster General wrote to the European Commission on 8 November to ask for consideration of early legislative proposals to include repairs, maintenance and improvements to listed places of worship in the list of permissible reduced rates.

National Insurance Contributions

Lord Higgins: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Why the Chancellor of the Exchequer's Autumn Statement made no reference to his proposal to increase national insurance contributions.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The proposed increase in the upper earnings limit for employees' national insurance contributions from April 2001 was announced in the Chancellor of the Exchequer's Budget on 9 March 1999 as part of the Government's response to the recommendations in Martin Taylor's report. Full details of all changes in national insurance contributions rates and limits for the tax year 2001-02 were announced in the House of Commons by the Paymaster General, following the Pre-Budget Report (Official Report, 8 November 2000; cols. 274W-276W) and were also set out in an Inland Revenue press release.

A3 Kingston By-pass

Lord Brabazon of Tara: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many road accident casualties there were on the A3 Kingston by-pass between the junctions with the A308 and the A309 in the 12 months to 31 May in each of the following years: 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000.

Lord Whitty: The number of casualties on the A3 Kingston by-pass between the junctions with the A308 and A309 in the 12 months to 31 May in the years 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000 were the following:
	
		A3 Kingston by-pass(1): 1996-2000 Casualties 
		
			 Severity 1996-97 1997-98 1998-99 1999-2000 
			 Fatal 4 3 0 0 
			 Serious 12 21 7 12 
			 Slight 97 126 79 56 
			  
			 Total 113 150 86 68 
		
	
	(1) The data above cover the stretch of the A3 by-pass 100 metres west of the Ace of Spades roundabout (Hook) and the Robin Hood roundabout (Kingston Vale). provisional 2000 data.

Vehicle Excise Duty: Exempt Historic Vehicles

Lord Brabazon of Tara: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many vehicles have benefited from the exemption of historic vehicles from vehicle excise duty, and how much vehicle excise duty has been foregone, in each year since the introduction of the exemption.

Lord Whitty: The figures are as follows:
	
		Exempt historic vehicles
		
			 Number Cost of exemption (£) 
			 1995 120,000 26,760,000 
			 1996 278,000 61,994,000 
			 1997 326,000 72,698,000 
			 1998 352,000 78,496,000 
			 1999 354,000 78,942,000 
		
	
	Notes:
	Numbers licensed at the end of year in the exempt historic tax class.
	Cost of exemption is based on average licence levels for 1999.
	The totals are cumulative i.e. many vehicles will appear in the figures for more than one year.

Vehicle Excise Duty: Exempt Historic Vehicles

Lord Brabazon of Tara: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many vehicles that were first registered in 1973, 1974 and 1975 are still registered and paying vehicle excise duty.

Lord Whitty: Vehicle licensing data are supplied to DETR on a quarterly basis by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency. The most recent available data are for the end of June 2000. The number of vehicles first registered in each year and which are currently licensed and paying vehicle excise duty is as follows:
	1973 22,780
	1974 21,575
	1975 22,016

Regional Government

Lord Patten: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they intend to create elected regional assemblies in England.

Lord Whitty: The Government remain committed to move to directly-elected regional government in England, where there is a demand for it, as demonstrated in referendums.

Trunk Road Improvement

Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether, in the light of the substantially increased investment levels set out in their 10-year plan, they will announce further additions to the targeted programme of trunk road improvements.

Lord Whitty: At the time of the Roads Review in July 1998 we decided to take forward consideration of the A63 Melton Grade Separated Junction in Yorkshire. We can now confirm that following further work, including a full appraisal, and consultation with the regional planning body, the scheme has been added to the targeted programme of improvements. By removing three existing junctions the scheme will improve safety and reduce delays. It will also facilitate access to enable regeneration of a large area of brownfield land to the south of the A63 on the banks of the Humber. Draft orders for the scheme were published on 17 October.
	Further additions to the programme will in general depend on the outcome of studies commissioned as a result of the Roads Review and priorities identified in the course of development of regional transport strategies within the context of regional planning guidance.
	However, if the objectives of investment in trunk roads under the 10-year plan are to be delivered, it is important that we make some immediate progress. Therefore, we have initiated consultations with regional planning bodies to consider possible targeted improvements to tackle problems on those parts of the core trunk road network not being considered within a study. As part of this exercise we will also consider whether decisions can be taken on taking forward some targeted improvements within the areas covered by studies without prejudicing the strategic context of the study in question or the emerging regional transport strategy. Specific proposals for improvements will be evaluated using the new approach to appraisal to ensure they are consistent with our transport criteria of safety, economy, environmental impact, accessibility and integration. We will make an announcement about the outcome of this exercise in the spring.
	We can also confirm that work on the programme of 100 early action schemes to tackle localised safety and congestion problems on the trunk road network announced at the time of the 10-year plan has begun. Copies of a leaflet showing the locations of these schemes have been placed in the Library.

Conjoined Twins: Medical Procedures

Lord Alton of Liverpool: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the statement issued by St Mary's Hospital, Manchester, that "despite all the efforts of the medical team" to save the life of the conjoined twin, Mary, they were unable to do so, whether they will say what these efforts consisted of.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: In view of issues around patient confidentiality together with the wishes of the parents, I will write to the noble Lord setting out the information he has requested.

Tate Gallery: Spoliation Advisory Panel

Baroness Anelay of St. Johns: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What advice they have received from the Spoliation Advisory Panel with regard to the progress the panel has achieved.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The panel has considered the evidence put to it by both the Tate and the claimant and is in the course of finalising its recommendation to Ministers. It is anticipated that this should be completed early in December.

House of Lords: Standards of Conduct Report

Lord Tomlinson: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When they expect to receive the Seventh Report of the Committee on Standards in Public Life.

Baroness Jay of Paddington: I am pleased to announce that the Seventh Report of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, entitled Standards of Conduct in the House of Lords, is published today by the committee. Copies are available in the Printed Paper Office, and the Libraries.
	The recommendations in the report are for the House to consider. The Government welcome the report and hope and expect that the House of Lords will give it the serious consideration that it deserves.